culture

Walter Isaacson begins his chapter on the world’s most famous painting this way: “And now, the Mona Lisa.” We’re near the end of this handsome, hefty, magnificent exploration into the life, work and times of, arguably, the world’s greatest genius. Throughout, Isaacson invokes two of his previous subjects, Steve Jobs and Albert Einstein, but declares rightly that the eloquent polymath Leonardo da Vinci was unique and in ways that matter particularly today in our fragmenting world.

The city of Norwich, Connecticut, is choosing its first ever poet laureate.

Last year the City Council created the honorary position. It assembled a selection committee that includes local middle, high school and college English teachers.

Julie Menders, one of the committee members, is a librarian at Otis Library. She says the ideal applicant lives full-time in Norwich and has a deep urge to share their love of poetry with the community.

On Sunday, March 4 at the Klein Auditorium in Bridgeport, Greater Bridgeport Youth Orchestras will present the world premiere of "Citizen," a work for orchestra, chorus and spoken word by Dr. Rex Cadwallader. The orchestra will be joined by the Connecticut Chamber Choir, the Fairfield Warde Chamber Singers and spoken word artist Jeffrey Rollins.

Kate Remington talked with GBYO Conductor Christopher Hisey, composer Rex Cadwallader and Jeffrey Rollins about what this project has meant to them and the orchestra.

I’m thoroughly tired of this winter already, and I bet you are too. There’s something ominous about a long spell of cold weather. It’s a harsh reminder that we are living on a slightly warm ball of rock in the middle of an infinite space where the temperature is around -250° C, just a few clicks of the thermostat above absolute zero. How fragile our comfortable lives can be! If our machines fail or our fuel runs out, how quickly nature will reclaim her territory, and her temperature.